


Not in the Job Description, take three

by ExtraPenguin



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Gen, I'M SORRY TELIMEZH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:03:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8332264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraPenguin/pseuds/ExtraPenguin
Summary: The dark rewrite of Not in the Job Description.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Not in the Job Description](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7813639) by [ExtraPenguin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraPenguin/pseuds/ExtraPenguin). 



> See endnotes for warnings.

Telimezh opened the door with trepidation. The merchant had assured them all that his ware was both safe and relaxing, but someone still had to investigate more thoroughly before His Serenity would be allowed near. Some of his colleagues in the Untheileneise Guard had already done a cursory check of the room the merchant had installed his … apparatus? in, but had refused to report beyond it not being dangerous.

Telimezh scanned the room. The whitewash on the walls was fresh, and the only furniture in the room was a massage bench and a chest in the corner. The bench looked nonthreatening, so Telimezh chose to start his investigation with the chest.

He was at the chest before he realized his error: it was a tank of water with a _thing_ inside.

Said thing grasped his wrists and neck. “Lookst just like Mer Palmar,” it said. “Knowest what Mer Palmar did to me?”

Telimezh tried to pull free and shake his head, but the creature’s grasp was relentless. Black spots appeared in his vision. He would-

The creature loosed its grip on his throat. Telimezh panted and sagged as much as he could against the tentacles around his wrists.

“We are Lieutenant Zharu Telimezh,” he said, voice hoarse. “We are Second Nohecharis to His Serenity Edrehasivar VII Zhas.”

“Oh, a servant,” the thing said. “Perhaps I’ll eat thy master next.”

In the split second after Telimezh heard its remark but before he could react appropriately and scream, his neck was once again grasped and he couldn’t get out a sound. He was dragged towards the tank. He squirmed and writhed and tried his best to wriggle out of the tentacles’ grasp, but only succeeded in cracking his head painfully against the tank’s edge.

 _Forgive me, Serenity_ , he thought as darkness encroached on his vision and strength seeped from his limbs.

 

Lieutenant Telimezh was late for duty. Beshelar disapproved. Telimezh had been conscentious before; why the lapse? Now they had to waste precious time searching for him.

“Where was he last seen?” he asked Lieutenant Drolta.

“He was sent to investigate that massage contraption Mer Palmar provided,” Drolta said. “Cirotar and Macunar did the preliminary approval and found it safe, but we suppose there would be no harm in starting there. Perhaps he fell asleep.”

“Massage contraption?” His Serenity asked. Beshelar was uncomfortable with him being part of the investigation, but either Beshelar must accompany him or he must accompany Beshelar. That was tradition.

“Your shoulders are stiff, Serenity,” Cala said soothingly. Cala was very good at being soothing. Beshelar occasionally envied him of that.

“Here we are,” Lieutenant Drolta said. “Lieutenant Telimezh entered this room. He might even have left it.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Beshelar said, then peeked in. Ah, Drolta’s guess had been correct: Telimezh was sprawled on the floor, slee–

Wait.

There was blood. Lots of blood, and the scent of flesh, and there was no way Telimezh’s arm could be in that position if his feet were _there_ and _half his torso was missing_ –

“Art thou Edrehasivar?” a voice came from beyond Telimezh. “I wish to consume him.”

Beshelar screamed.

He abruptly discovered that the door was closed and he was on the other side of the corridor. Everyone else was looking at him wide-eyed.

“KILL IT WITH FIRE,” he said. “It wants to _eat you_ , Serenity!” He bodily picked up His Serenity and ran towards the relative safety of the Alcethmeret, a confused Cala in his wake. Drolta was yelling orders at internal couriers, and soon Captain Orthema would be there to take charge of the situation and eliminate the threat to His Serenity.

Beshelar did not think he could sleep.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Choking/asphyxiation  
> Major character death  
> Major character consumption


End file.
